Maritime expert: ‘Titan’ occupants died ‘painless death’ Eight-centimeter hailstones in Austria

According to experts, the occupants of the submarine “Titan” did not notice the implosion of their vehicle. The pressure on the submarine was enormous at such a great depth — the implosion happened in a fraction of a millisecond, CNN quoted Friday as ex-naval officer Aileen Marty, a professor of disaster medicine.

The human brain cannot comprehend the situation that quickly. “The whole thing collapsed before the people inside realized there was a problem,” Marty noted.

In an implosion, an object suddenly collapses when the external pressure exceeds the internal pressure. It is in the inverse ratio of forces to an explosion. Even the smallest structural defect can cause such a catastrophe at great depths.

“Titan’s occupants died in ways they didn’t even know they were going to die,” explains Marty. “Ultimately, given the many ways we can die, this is painless.”

After days of feverish searches, the US Coast Guard announced on Thursday that debris had been found at a depth of about 3,800 meters, just under 500 meters from the bow of the Titanic wreck. They belong to the missing “Titan” with five people on board. The Coast Guard spoke of a “catastrophic implosion” that claimed the lives of the occupants. (sda/dpa)